Page 75 of A Court So Dark
“Gee, thanks, Larina. Way to ratchet up the pressure.”
She put her small hands up. “Oh, I’m sorry.”
“I’m just kidding.”
“You’re going to have to get used to her sense of humor,” Kalyll said, coming behind me.
”Iwill,my king.“ Larina inclined her head, turning serious.
Ah, maybe one day, she would stop getting flustered when Kalyll was around. Hmm, I could think of one thing that might take her a step closer.
“Kalyll,” I started, “while you were gone, I made Larina a member of the Sub Rosa, and I told her you would make it official upon your return.”
The pixie’s cheeks turned violet, and her wings whirred so fast I was afraid she would shoot up into the rafters.
A blond eyebrow went up in Kalyll’s borrowed face.
“My king,” Larina said, “It’s not nece—“
“Everyone! Gather ’round.” He waved everyone in.
The others abandoned what they were doing and came to form a circle with Larina in the middle. The violet on her cheeks quickly tended toward purple.
Suddenly, Kalyll pushed me into the middle of the circle, and it was my turn to blush.
“You need to become official, too.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but he silenced me with a raised finger.
He cleared his throat. “For your loyalty, relentless desire to help, and friendship, we welcome you into the Sub Rosa.” Kalyll put a hand up and inclined his head in encouragement.
Larina and I lifted our right hands.
“Repeat after me,” Kalyll said. “I swear, by all that is sacred, that I will remain loyal and dedicated to the Sub Rosa and will never reveal its secrets to anyone.”
The pixie and I solemnly repeated every word.
“Furthermore, I swear I will come to the aid of any Sub Rosa member, no matter their need.”
Larina and I repeated again, and as soon as we were done, the others chanted in unison, “I SWEAR!” and thumped their chests with their closed fists.
Their voices echoed through the room, and for a moment, I was worried we might attract attention, but the earl’s chamber was too secluded for that.
Larina and I exchanged a smile, and I was sure she felt as I did: literally and metaphorically in the middle of a protective circle of dear friends.
The others offered their congratulations, and Silver swiftly found a decanter and passed drinks around. We clicked our glasses and were merry for a while, joking and teasing.
It was what we needed, for tomorrow our journey to unknown dangers began.
CHAPTER 28
DANIELLA
Thenextmorning,wegot on the road early. As much as we would’ve liked, we weren’t going to be traveling to Nerethien using our transfer token. It wouldn’t do for a dignitary such as Earl Qierlan to simply appear when he hadn’t been invited.
Mythorne hadn’t reached out for an alliance, and though word had been sent to the Unseelie King, he hadn’t replied, which apparently wasn’t uncommon for the monarch. It seemed he enjoyed being an asshole and making himself feel important.
This was the reason Kalyll and I exited Qierlan’s castle riding horses and being followed by a small retinue that would tend to our needs while on the road for the next day. Jeondar and Arabis were with us. They were in the guise of the earl’s and Mylendra’s attendants, respectively, also aided by Naesala’s potion, the others—Kryn, Silver, Cylea, and Larina—had snuck out of the castle before sun up and were likely already waiting for us in the Unseelie capital. Lucky them.
